Emulsified battery electrolyte



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May 18, l'948. T. G. MolR 'EMULSIFIED BATTERY ELEGTROLYTE Filed Jan. 17,1945 Patented May 18, 1948 EMULSIFIED BATTERY ELEoTaoLYTE Thomas G.Moir, Round Lake, Ill., assignor to Burgess Battery Company, Freeport,Ill., a oorporation of Delaware Application January 17, 1945, SerialNo.A 573,150

This invention relates to improvements in pri- 9 claims. (c1. 13s-154)mary batteries, and while it relates especially to batteries of thedeferred action type, it is not limited to that type. The invention isdirected toward improvements in such batteries which provide increasedresistance against short circuits between cells and increased uniformityof consumption or corrosion of the anodes of the several cells.

In series connectedmultiple cell deferred action batteries, one of theserious problems is the prevention of short circuits between cells afterthe battery has been activated. 'Ihese can be prevented by introducingthe proper amount of activating liquid separately into each individualcell and confining it to such cell, but this is cumbersome andinconvenient. If the activating liquid is introduced into all of thecells from a common space which is in communication with the cells, ithas been found that the cells frequently do not all receive adequateamounts of electrolyte and the electrodes are not uniformly wetted bythe electrolyte. It has been found also that the 4Referring to thedrawing, the battery comprises a container IUI which is generallyrectangular in shape and has an open top and is composed of anelectrical insulating and electrolyte resisting material, such as wood,phenol-formaldehyde resin, etc. The bottom of the container I hasdifferent anodes frequently are consumed at nonuniform rates and thatshort circuits occur between different cells.

Itis the primary object of the invention to provide an improvedconstruction for series connected multiple cell batteries which permitsthe desirable easy and convenient activation and in which theabovedefects are absent.

Another object is to :provide means in such a battery for permitting theintroduction of all of the activating liquid simultaneously into acommon space rfrom which it may flow to be absorbed into the electrolytespaces of the several cells without causing short circuits betweencells'.

Another object is to provide means for counteracting the tendency forthe anodes of the different cells to be wetted and consumed.non-unlformly.

A further object is to provide means for facilitating the absorption ofelectrolyte into the interelectrodespaces and the wetting of theelectrode surfaces by the electrolyte.

A specific object .is to provide a 'primary cell and a multiple cellprimary battery having an electrolyte in the form of an emulsion.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the followingdescription progresses.

The invention is described and illustrated in connection with adeferredaction type of primary battery, but it is understood thatit is notlimited thereto,'but may be employed with primary batteries-in general.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a sectional elevational view of a multipie cell battery of theinvention; and l Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig.1.

longitudinal ridges lI2 and I3 upon the interior surface thereof, whichridges may be integral with the bottom and extend inwardly from oppositeends of the container respectively to a point somewhat beyond the middleof the container, whereby the end portions of the ridges overlap.

Spaced inwardly 'from the left-hand end of container I0, as thesame isviewed in Fig. 1, is a transverse partition I 4 which may be composed ofthe same material as is the container Ill and which rests upon ridges II and extends upwardly ,to a point short of the top of the container, as

shown. The partition It may be integrally joined at its edges to theside walls of the container, or otherwiseV suitably fastened inposition.4

The partition I4 forms a compartment I6 at one end of the container IUand in the remainder of the container are arranged the elements of thebattery. While the invention may be employed with any desired type ofbattery, to facilitate the description a specific battery will bedescribed which is of the Iplate type, i. e., in which the cell elementsare in the form of juxtaposed thin flat sheets or plates. The iirstelement is the cathode 'I1 which is composed of silver and is arrangedagainst the partition I4. The cathode I1 rests upon the ridges l2 andextends substantially across the interior of the container l0 andupwardly to a height substantially the same as that of partition I4, asshown in Fig. 2. Against the cathode Il is arranged the second cellelement I8 which is a layer of depolarizing material in the form of awater-insoluble silver halide, for example silver bromide. Adjacent tothe depolarizing layer I8 is a layer I9 of bibulous electricalinsulating and electrolyte-resisting material, such as porous blottingpaper, and adjacent to the bibulous layer I9 is the plate-form anode2lli composed of magnesium. The transverse dimensions of these elementsare substantially the same as those of' cathode I1. Upon activation ofthe battery, the bibulous layer I9 is wetted with the electrolyte, aswill be described hereinafter, and forms the electrolyte space betweenthe anode and cathode. The anode 20 is connected at its bottom portion,as by welding, brazing, etc., to the cathode I1 of the second cell.Above the portions of said anode and cathode which are Joined together,the said electrodes are v separated'by a layer of liquid-impervious,electrical insulating and electrolyte-resisting material 2i, which maybe a thin sheet composed of varnished paper, copolymerized vinylchloride and vinyl acetate, the rubber hydrochloride material andexclude the electrolyte from between them,I

whereby local actin is prevented.

Proceeding from the cathode Il of the second cell, the arrangement ofcell elements is the same as has been described in connection with thefirst cell and the corresponding elements of the succeeding cells aredesignated by the same numerals. The anode of each cell is connected tothe cathode of each succeeding cell as described heretofore whereby thecells are connected together in series. f

The open top of the container I9 is closed by a sheet-form member 24 oielectrical insulating and electrolyte resisting material, for examplepaperboard, and a heat fusible sealing composition 25, composed, forexample, of -wax or pitch,

is arranged upon the top of the sheet 2li to form y a seal closure forthe top of the battery.

A battery terminal 21 is embedded in the sealing composition .25 and isconnected to the cathode I'l of the first cell by the conductor 2'8 bysoldering or other suitable means. A second battery terminal 29 isembedded in the sealing ma.- terial 25 and is connected by a conductor30 to the anode 2U oi the last cell. Terminals 21 and 29 are adapted tobe connected to an external circuit.

The cell elements located to the right of the middle of the containerI0, as the rsame is viewed in Fig. 1, rest upon the ridges I3, whilethose located to the left of that point rest upon the ridges I2.

In the compartment I6 and resting upon the ridges I2 is arranged asupporting member 33, preferably composed of electrolyte-resistingmaterial, such as phenol-formaldehyde resin, metal, or the like, andhaving an upwardly extending projection 34. Also within compartment I'6and resting upon projection 34 is a frangible envelope 35, composed ofthin sheet glass or other readily rupturable material, within which iscontained the activating liquid 36, which is the electrolyte for thebattery. In accordance with the present invention, such electrolyte isan emulsion of a non-conductive, water-lmmiscible liquid and an aqueoussolution of an electrolyte compound. In the specific battery described,a suitable emulsion is formed of the following composition, in parts byweight:

Carbon tetrachloride 80 Lithium bromide 29 Dlamyl sodium sulfosuccinate(sold under the trade-mark Aerosol AY") 2.2 Water 60 Prior to beinginserted into the envelope 35, the composition is shaken thoroughly toemulsify the same, or is processed through a suitable emulsifyingapparatus, such as a 'colloid mill.

The resulting emulsion is stable and will remain substantially unchangedfor a long period of time.

In the described emulsion, the carbon tetrachloride is thewater-lmmiscible liquid, the lithiurn bromide is the electrolytecompound and the diamyl sodium sulfosuccinate is an emulsifying agentwhich serves to give the emulsion the desired stability. It is also awetting agent and facilitates the absorption of the electrolyte by thedepolarizing layers I8 and the bibulous layers I9, and the wetting ofthe electrodes by the electrolyte. The water lmmiscible liquid is thecontinuous phase and the aqueous liquid is the dispersed phase.

Means for rupturing the frangible envelope 35 comprises a plunger 40which extends through an opening in the closure sheet .24 and seal 25and has its lower end arranged in adjacent relationship to the top ofthe frangible envelope 35. The plunger I0 comprises a shank 4I having anenlargement 42 at the lower end thereof which cooperates with theclosure sheet 24 to form a stop against the upward movement of theplunger. The shank 4I extends upwardly from the upper surface of theseal 25 and has a knob 43 at the upper end thereof, spaced from saidseal 25. A helical spring member 44 surrounds the shank 4I and iscompressed between the seal 25 and the knob 43.

In activating the battery, the plunger 40 is depressed manually,rupturing the envelope 35 and releasing the activating emulsion 36. Thelatter flows down into the bottom of compartment I8 and passesunderneath the partition I4 via the spaces between the ridges I2. Itpasses longitudinally along 'these spaces and laterally around the endsof the ridges I2 and I3, and into the spaces between ridges I3. In thisway it spreads throughout the bottom of the container I0. Sufilcient ofthe emulsion is employed to fill the container above the level of thelower edges of the battery elements. It is immediately absorbed by thebibulous layers I9 and spreads upwardly throughout the layers,saturating the same. It also is absorbed by the layers I8 of thedepolarizing material, some of it passing from the bibulous layers I9 tosaid depolarizing layers and the remainder passing directly upwardlyfrom the bottom edges of the depolarizing layers. The depolarizinglayers are thereby moistened, and the emulsion therein and in thebibulous layers I9 supplies the electrolytic conductivity necessary forthe operation of the battery. The wetting properties of the emulsifyingagent facilitates the absorption of lthe emulsion by the layers I8 andI9, and it also assists the dispersed globules of electrolyte in wettingthe surfaces of the electrodes. As a result, all Vof the cells receivean adequate amount of electrolyte and the anodes are uniformly wetted bythe electrolyte.

After the bibulous layers I9 and depolarizing layers I8 have absorbedall of the liquid emulsion which they will absorb, there is still a bodyof the liquid in the bottom of the container I0 which makes contact withthe bottom edges of the cell elements. Such liquid, if it were in theform of an ordinary aqueous solution of an electrolyte compound, wouldform a. conductive medium between the electrodes of the different cellsand form a short circuit between such cells. It has been found that thenemulsion electrolyte does not form such a conductive medium and thereis no substantial short circuit current between cells.

There i's also a slight exudation of the electrolyte from the top andside edges of the depolarizing layers I8 and the bibulous layers I9 andthis migrates to the edges of the electrodes, with the result that suchedges are coated with a nlm of the electrolyte. If an ordinaryelectrolyte solution were; employed, short circuit current would owbetween the cells by way of such lms. With the emulsion form ofelectrolyte of the present invention, there is no substantial shortcircuit current flowing by such path. In general, if there is any shortcircuit current in the battery, it is so small as to be negligible.

The battery of the-present invention operates functionally in the samemanner as does a battery which employs a plain solution of anelectrolyte compound instead of an emulsion. It has a high totalcapacity and a long useful life. uniform wetting and corrosion of theanodes of the different cells and the short circuits between cells whichhave been found in the batteries having a plain electrolyte solution areabsent from the battery of the present invention. The presence ofadequate electrolyte in every cell and the uniform wetting of theelectrode surfaces results in an improved and uniform electrolyticaction.

As has been stated heretofore, the specific battery which has beendescribed. and illustrated herein is anexample only of the invention,with respect to both its physical and chemical features, and theinvention may be applied to batteries having elements different fromthose described. For example, in the battery described heretofore, theelectrolyte may be of the following composition, in parts by weight:

chloroform 45 Lithium chloride 15.6 Dihexyl sodium sulfosuccinate (soldunder the trade-mark "Aerosol MA) 2.0 Water 81 f Also, the anodes may becomposed of zinc, aluminum, or other suitable metal, the cathodes may becomposed of copper, carbon, etc. and the depolarizing element may becomposed of manganese dioxide or other suitable substance. Thewaterimmiscible liquid may be chloroform, amyl acetate, a liquidhydrocarbon such as kerosene, or the like, the electrolyte compound'maybe ammonium chloride, zinc chloride, hydrochloric acid, etc., and theemulsifying agent may be sodium 2-ethylhexanol sulfate, sold under thetrade-mark Tergitol 08. An emulsifying agent may be used which is not awetting agent, and such an emulsiiier may be used with or without aseparate wetting agent. An example of a suitable battery i-s one of theLeclanche type having a zinc anode, a. carbon cathode, a depolarizingelement composed of a mixture of manganese dioxide and trolyte composedof an emulsion of kerosene and an aqueous solution of ammonium chloride,zinc chloride and sodium 2-ethylhexanol sulfate. The form and mechanicalfeatures of the battery may be other than that of the plate type ofbattery illustrated, and the invention is applicable in general toprimary batteries employing liquid electrolytes without limitation tothe physical form thereof or the composition of the parts. It is alsoapplicable to batteries in which the liquid electrolyte is incorporatedat the made.

What is claimed is:

1. In a primary cell having an anode and a cathode, an electrolytebetween said anode and cathode in the form of an emulsion comprising a,non-conductive water-immiscible liquid, an emulsifying agent and anaqueous solution of an electrolyte compound.

2. In a primary cell .having a magnesium anode and a cathode, anelectrolyte between said anode and cathode, said electrolyte comprisingan emulsion of a non-conductive, water-immiscible liquid,

an emulsifying agent and an aqueous solution of an electrolyte compound.

time the battery is y electrolyte being in the form of an emulsion com-3. An electrolyte for a primary battery comprising an emulsion of anaqueous solution of an electrolyte compound, a non-conductivewaterimmiscible liquid and an emulsiiying agent.

4. InV a multiple cell battery, a' container, a plurality vofelectrically connected cells in said container, said cells each having apair of electrodes, said containerhaving a common space therein to whichthe electrodes of different cells are exposed, and an electrolyte insaid container, saidelectrolyte being in the form oi an emulsioncomprising a non-conductive, water-immiscible liquid and an aqueoussolution of an electrolyte compound.v

5. A battery construction as claimed in claim 1 in which the emulsifyingagent is also a wetting agent.

6. In a multiple cell battery. a container, a plurality of seriallyconnected cell-s in said container, said cells each having a pair ofelectrodes, said container having a common space therein to which theelectrodes of dierent cells are exposed, and an electrolyte in saidcontainer, said prising a non-conductive, water-immiscible liquid and anaqueous solution oi an electrolyte comy iinely divided carbon orgraphite and an elec- 7. In a multiple cell battery, a container, -aplurality of electrically connected cells in said container, said cellseach having a pair of electrodes, said container having a common spacetherein to which the electrodes of different cells are exposed, and anelectrolyte in said container, said electrolyte being in the form of anemulsion comprising a non-conductive, Water-immiscible liquid, anemulsifying ag'e'nt and an aqueous solution of an electrolyte compound.

8. In a multiple cell battery, a container, a plurality of electricallyconnected cells in said container, said cells each having a pair ofelectrodes, said container having a common space therein to which theelectrodes of different cells are exposed, and an electrolyte in saidcontainer, said electrolyte being in the form of an emulsion comprisinga non-conductive, water-immiscible liquid, a wetting agent and anaqueous solution of an electrolyte compound.

9. In a multiple cell battery; a container, a

plurality of electrically connected cells in said` container, saidcellseach having a pair of electrodes, said container having a common spacetherein to which the electrodes of different cells are exposed, and anelectrolyte in said container,l said electrolyte being in the form of anemulsion comprising a non-conductive, water-immiscible liquid, anemulsifying agent, a wetting agent and an aqueous solution of anelectrolyte coin-y pound.

THOMAS G. MOIR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 270,884 Berliner Jan. 23,1883585,854 Sully July 6, 189'! 1,357,160 French Oct. 26, 1920 1,459,659Ellis June 19, 1923 OTHER REFERENCES Davis et al., Bur. Int. Tech.,Paper 609 (1940), page 62.

Certificate of Correction` Patent No. 2,441,896. May 18, 1948.

THOMAS G. MOIR It is hereby certied that errors appear in the printedspecification of the above numbered patent requiring correction asfollows: Column 1, line 35, for to after flow read or; column 2, line17, for ridges 11 read ridges 12,' and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conformto the record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of August, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant ommssz'oner of Patents.

